ST. LOUIS Marlins President David Samson spoke before Sunday’s game about the disappointment of not having a Marlin named to the All-Star team to replace injured Giancarlo Stanton as well as frustration with the inconsistency of the team throughout the first half of the season.

He addressed issues such as problems with the grass at Marlins Park, attendance and the upcoming reality TV series “The Franchise” featuring the Marlins that will debut Wednesday night on Showtime.

Samson had not yet received a report on surgery that Stanton underwent Sunday morning in Miami.

Subsequently, the team announced that Stanton did have loose bodies removed from his right knee and should retjurn to action in 4-6 weeks.

Here are highlights of the interview with Samson:

(On Washington’s Bryce Harper replacing Stanton instead of a Marlin)

“I spoke to MLB. Cishek, Ruggiano, I think there were a lot of different ways that Tony [La Russa] and MLB could have gone. I think it’s unfortunate. I think that every team should be represented on the line in an All-Star Game.”

(Note: Harper was called up ot the majors earlier than Ruggiano, who is hitting .410 in 78 at-bats with six homers and 17 RBI. Harper is hitting .283 in 244 at-bats with eight homers and 25 RBI.)

“For me it would have would been natural to have Ruggiano in, who has absolutely played as well as anyone since he was called up. Obviously MLB or Tony or whoever makes the decision had their own view of it, and it’s certainly disappointing.

“I think that all teams are supposed to be respresented, and if our guy had to have surgery, he had to have surgery.

“Obviously its been a disappointing first half, there’s no question about it.”

(On the effect of the Stanton injury)

“It hurt. He is such an imposing force in the lineup. Carlos Lee was brought in to combine him with Stanton in the lineup. Now it’s sort of back to where you are.

“But Giancarlo will be back in time to help us. We’re not nearly out of it –- the second wild card or even the division.”

(On what held the Marlins back in the first half)

“The inconsistencey is what bothered us the most the first half.

“It’s been an interesting first half. There’s been a lot of attention with the team that we never had before. I think when you talk about all the excitement going into the season, that’s what leads to this level of disappointment because you don’t expect to be below .500 at the break.

“But the way things went I think we’re pretty happy to be this close to 500. It could have been a lot worse.

“It took a record-brekaing May just to get us in this position. I’d like to see us just consistently win series. That’s how we’ll make the playoffs. This team is capable of it.”

(On Hanley Ramirez’s inconsistent first half)

“Hanley is the man on this team. But saying you’re the man and being the man are two different things. He has it in him to do it, and I hope the switch goes on. He is sort of the catalyst.”

“We’ve called agronomists, we’ve called voodoo people, we’ve called agriculturalists, we’ve called grounds crew people, we’ve called grass growers, we’ve called them all.

“They all say the same thing, it’s not seasy. This Celebration grass should be the right grass. The shade’s have been a little weird. The weather pattern was off. The rainy season started early this year and we had to close the roof. We had a lot of day games.

But it’s getting better.”

(On attendance at Marlins Park)

“It’s hard not to be happy averaging over 28,000 people, but we’d rather be at 32,000 to 35,000 people.

“I think the team did not help in that regard.

“Fans, not just in Miami, but everywhere, they want to see a team that’s winning and trying. This team never gives up. The fans are happy to see that and we expect attendance to build.

“It will respond based on perfomrance, and right now our performance is just to the left of mediocre. .500 is medicre. We’re not a team that shoots for .500, we’re shooting for the playoffs. Being around .500 is not anywhere near where we want to be.

(On feedback on the ballpark)

“The complaints are zero. People love it

The parking is easy, the air-conditioning works. Our biggest complaint is people are cold.”

(On how the Miami Heat’s championship run effected Marlins attendance.)

“I think that our no-show rate went up when the Heat were playing. I think our market can handle a good Heat team and a good Marlins team and a good Dolphins team.

“ We rooted for the Heat. Do I wish they would have won in 16 straight? Maybe. But I wanted them to win either way.”

(On the Showtime series)

“We promised to give them access to everything. We did that. They’re everywhere. When we did the trade for Carlos Lee, they’re there, when we sent players down, they’re there. They’re there when we trade players, when talk about players.

“The debut is Wednesday and it should be very interesting. I think fans around the world, while they’re not going to see us at the All-Star Game, the’yre certianly going to see us everywhere else.

“Instead of sending a player to the All-Star Gamde, I guess we’re going to send the Showtime crew and it’s going be like Where’s Waldo. We’re going to have the Showtime crew just looking for the Marlin.”

(On the benefits of doing the Showtime series)

Our merchadise sales are so good around the country.

“I think the bounce you get is just brand recognition, and that builds over time.”

(Any regrets about doing the series?)

The Showtime people are really good, they’re like flies on the wall, so it’s not staged. I think that if we were staging scenes like a regular reality show, I think that might be an issue. But this is all live as it happens. So I don’t think it’s had any impact.

“Showtime, when they asked to do the Marlins, I don’t thin thay had any clue what they’d be in for. I feel badly for next years team.

“I think it’s a good experience for all of us. We commited to increase and improve our brand, and that’s happened.”

“Hanley is the man on this team”.
What team is that? Certainly not the Marlins. In order to be “the man”, the other players have to look up to you. Nobody on this team (or any other Marlin team) looks to Hanley an being “the Man”.He has the 9th highest average on ther team (.247). Hardley a leader. In additio, after watching him since he came up, he doesn’t appear to all that bright. Plus he seems to be a very selfish player. Added all together, it certainly does not = “Being the Man”.
If you want a face for the franchise, choosing to gamble your future on this underachieving, self-centered . 249 hitting dullard, seems like a stretch, to me. Wonder what kind of weed Samson is smoking.

Why does this Front Office continue to coddle Hanley. They’re afraid that If they dont baby him and continue to feed his fragile ego then H2R will show a temperment of a 10 year old. He’s not “the man” on this team. He could have been. Dont be so PC Samson.

Trade Hanley Ramirez to the Padres for an outfielder and send Bell with him.. Put Bonifacio at third base and keep the outfield together when Stanton returns. Until then, stick with Cousins in center or the outfield from the Padres/
We are paying Bell 27 million over three years?? Someone really made a major mistake promoting this signing.

HEATH BELL MUST GO! NINE MILLION IS ALOT “WRITE OFF” BUT TO PAY HUM THAT AMOUNT FOR 3 YEARS? CRAZY….IF WE CANT TRADE HIM…MAKE HIM A MOP-UP MAN….AND PUT CESCACK AS THE CLOSER….nUNEZ ISN’T TOO MUCH BETTER THAN BELL….

I have a complaint about the new stadium. I bought two tickets for a game using stub hub. I wanted to sit in the front row of my section so I chose row 1. Well when I got to the stadium row 1 isn’t the first row. They have a whole slew of lettered rows before row 1. So row 1 is way in back with bad views. If you want to sit in the first row, you have to pick row A, or sometimes row AA or even row AAA. There is clearly only one reason for this – to deceive the fans and rip people off selling them crummy seats marketed as row 1. What were they thinking? Once people get to their seats they will figure this out and they will have a bad experience. David Samson is lying when he says there are no complaints. Overall, a great stadium, but this cheap, sleazy trick to wring a few more bucks out of the fans ruins the experience. The team should have a little more respect for fans.

1 – Yankees………….old age at its finest
2 – Rangers………….best all around team in all of baseball
3 – Nationals…………Harper leading the surge
4 – Dodgers………….with all it s injuries, still good
5 – White Sox………..Ventura, manager of the year
6 – Pirates……………McClutchen serious MVP contender
7 – Giants…………….Lincecum needs to contribute
8 – Braves……………cannot fall apart again in the stretch
9 – Angels……………should be exciting 2nd half team
10 – Orioles…………who would have thought
11 – Reds……………Votto could be hurt…this could be it for Dusty
12 – Rays……………injuries hurting them, but still winning
13 – Cardinals……..just like the Rays
14 – Indians…………need one good hitter to compete
15 – Mets……………Wright doing it all
16 – Blue Jays…….might be sellers instead of buyers
17 – Tigers…………need pitching help ASAP.
18 – Red Sox……….bring back the chicken & the beer
19 – Diamondbacks…..stuck in the desert
20 – A’s……………….No Moneyball this year
21 – Brewers………Packers season begins now.
22 – Marlins………..How do you like this club now?
23 – Cubs…………..Future looks very good
24 – Royals………..going in the right direction
25 – Phillies………..going in the wrong direction….sellers soon
26 – Twins…………long road ahead
27 – Mariners…….even longer road ahead
28 – Padres……….new ownership in town
29 – Rockies……..Broncos on people’s minds now
30 – Astros……….will get worse in A.L. West next season

When will President Beinfest start shouldering some of the blame for this bunch of misfits. The draft has produced almost nothing outside of Stanton in the last 8 years with most draft choices complete failures. Many have made the team and got progressively worse every year whereas Tampa brings up new, good players every year and are always in contention in a tough division. They are still living off 2003. Time for a change in the front office?

Problem with the Marlins is that they went away from the draft system and started that free agent over spending mode……young cheap players are hungry to win……over priced free agents rather retire to South Beach and enjoy the good life of drinking and girl watching instead of winning…….Marlins farm system ranks at the bottom in the league……sure they won two World Series,….last one 9 years ago against the Yankees…. but as they say…”What have you done lately?”…..no team that is 9 games out of first place at the All Star break has not been in the playoffs……..by the end of July, Marlins should be sellers on some of their players to build for 2013.

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About the author

JUAN C. RODRIGUEZ
My career covering the Marlins has been all about good timing. At Florida Today, I became the...